Natural Skin Care for Rashes

A skin rash can be defined by skin that is not normal in appearance and texture. It is characterized by redness, bumps, blotches, cracks, blisters or swelling and may be accompanied by itching and, in severe cases, by fever. A rash may be localized or may spread to the entire body. Most rashes can be helped with a natural skin care product. However if nothing is done it can worsen and require medical attention.

There are many natural skin care products designed for different areas of the body and type of irritant. It is important to understand the cause of the skin crash to use the right natural skin care product. Each rash is different, for example you will treat a diaper rash with a different natural skin care product than a rash on your foot. For more serious or chronic conditions natural skin care products may not be enough and may require the help of a dermatologist.

Contact dermatitis is a rash caused by touching something that was previously contaminated or does not suit your body chemistry. Eczema is a skin problem related to people with allergies and asthma. Seborrheic dermatitis deals with flaky skin. If it is on the scalp, it is called dandruff. A natural body lotion or organic body wash could be a huge help from adding irritant chemicals.

Skin rash is a common term so it includes many types of conditions. Each condition is relative to certain problems. Simple problems occur due to allergies to certain foods, detergents, perfumes, plants, etc. Others could be related to diseases like measles, chicken pox, shingles, hand and foot diseases etc. Many natural skin care products have been formulated to serve each condition, like using oatmeal for the chickenpox.

These days there are vaccinations available that take care of diseases that could cause rashes. However some of the vaccinations can often cause a minor rash as a side effect. Preventative natural skin care products can be used to ease possible outbreaks. In all cases, it is important to maintain a hygienic routine. When you are affected, find out what products and medications make you break out, and keep this list handy to prevent further problems.

Most skin conditions need regular cream or lotion applications to alleviate the problem, and in some cases a course of antibiotics could be prescribed. Read up on some basic treatments and natural skin care alternatives, get tips from your doctor, and you may prevent a simple rash from turning into a bigger problem.

Acne and Natural Skin Care

Acne causes unsightly pimples and lesions on your skin, but what causes acne and how can it be prevented? Although the causes of acne are sometimes misunderstood or unknown, there are many natural skin care products designed to help acne. There are many myths and natural skin care techniques which target the treatment of acne.

First, one myth is acne is caused by eating fatty foods or chocolate. In fact one of the principal treatments for acne is best taken with fatty foods. Acne is not directly related to the foods you eat but more to the chemical reaction the food causes in your body. It is not a disease but a skin condition, though bacterial activity is a significant factor. This means it can be treated topically with a natural skin care product.

Natural skin care treatments are most effective when you understand more of the skin condition. Acne can be broken into three specific areas. Acne is basically caused by a sticky plug of oily sebum and dead skin cells blocking up your follicles and skin pores, and becoming infected by bacteria.

The bacteria triggers your immune response to kill the bacteria and also sets off the inflammatory response that causes the inflammation, swelling and redness. All of these reactions are intended to kill off the bacteria, but they also cause you pain and distress as a result. Using a natural skin care product can help to reduce the bacteria and inflammation associated with a break out.

To understand acne you must first understand each of these three components (sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria).

Sebum
Sebum is a natural skin oil, which is generated by the sebaceous glands, and it both protects and waterproofs your skin and hair. The sebum can mix with dead skin cells inside a hair follicle and forms a plug in the follicle (pore). At puberty the increase in sebum accelerates the formation of plugs in the pores, and also speeds up the multiplication of the bacteria on your skin. Natural skin care will help to balance the oil on the skin and reduce the natural bacteria growth. Specifically natural skin care products like grape seed extract will act as an anti-inflammatory antimicrobial treatment.

Skin Cells
Skin cells have a short life, and your skin surface renews itself every two or three weeks. The dead skin cells generally get washed off, but they can also form in the pores of your skin and mix with the sebum to form a gooey mass. You can help to avoid this through regular use of a natural skin care exfoliating body scrub, using a mild natural facial version for your face. You can also use natural skin care products with Vitamin A to flake your dead skin off, again helping to prevent it from mixing with the sebum.

Bacteria
Bacteria grows naturally on your skin, and normally do no harm as long as they are not of a dangerous kind. The bacterium responsible for acne is known as Propionibacterium acnes, and produce substances that initiate your immune system. A good natural body wash or antibacterial soap will help to prevent this from happening.

Although the actual reasons for the onset of acne are unknown, the reason why acne causes the symptoms that you experience are well known. Natural skin care products have been developed as an effective natural treatment for acne. With proper natural skin care and understanding the causes, there is a good chance that your acne condition can be managed successfully.

Its Normal – Pregnancy Can Change Your Skin

Chloasma or the “Mask of Pregnancy” can cause blotchy discoloration on your face and splashes of darkened skin that may appear on the forehead, nose, and cheeks in a mask-like configuration on some pregnant women – more often in dark-skinned women.

What causes chloasma: Those mischievous pregnancy hormones are toying with you again, causing hyperpigmentation on many parts of your body. You might have noticed your freckles and moles are darker now, there’s probably a dark line down the center of your abdomen (the linea nigra), and your areolas are probably a deeper shade as well. (You might as well decide this is sexy.) Dark-skinned women usually notice such hyperpigmentation more, but light-skinned women aren’t off the hook completely – they too will get their fair share of darkening skin, though it may not be as noticeable.
Despite have clear skin most of their lives, many women find another “new experience” awaiting them once they discover a pregnancy. The beginning stages can be small and unnoticeable pimples – usually showing around the jaw line or forehead due to hormonal fluctuations.

Three main factors contribute to acne: increased oil production, clogged pores, and a bacteria called P-acnes. First, oil causes the dead skin cells to stick together, leading to a clogged pore, which is called a blackhead or a whitehead. Bacteria then moves into the pore, producing inflammation, which manifests as redness and pus. Addressing acne requires medications or treatments that decrease oil secretion, unclog pores, and kill bacteria.

As the pregnancy progresses, the acne will worsen. It is at this point, many women may frantically search for cures in their local drugstore or try home remedies. Perhaps they feel overwhelmed by the choices or confused by the long list of ingredients and decide to give up finding a solution. In some cases, the acne can grow to included pigmented or “age” spots as well.

All of these changes typically last the duration of the pregnancy and are due to hormonal changes and increased oil production, resulting in acne, while higher estrogen levels will activate skin color cells to make dark spots. This occurrence is so common in pregnancy that it’s been given the name “mask of pregnancy.” Sun exposure will exacerbate the issue further without a good sunscreen or sun protection, try to use organic sunblock.

Like many others, when facial skin suddenly becomes oily, the first reaction is to take away all moisture or anything ‘greasy’ that can increase the feel of oil on the skin layer.

Never fear, these again are temporary problems with easy fixes. First, stop using anything oil-based and switch to gel-based or water based sunscreens and lotion for the time being. Treat you skin as if it were the acne-prone, pigmented type and finally ask your doctor or dermatologist for a baby-safe acne treatment if the situation is really uncomfortable. Your skin should return to its previous condition soon after your baby is born.

• In the meantime – Eat foods that contain folic acid (you’ll also get plenty in your prenatal supplement), since studies have shown that a folate deficiency can be related to hyperpigmentation. Good choices include green leafy vegetables, oranges, whole-wheat bread, and whole-grain cereal.
• Stay out of the sun as much as possible and wear a natrual sunscreen of at least SPF 15 (sunlight can also intensify hyperpigmentation). A hat and long sleeves are a good idea if you’re fair-skinned, headed to the beach, or have a historically sensitive complexion.
• If you like, use a good concealer to cover particularly pesky spots, but skip bleaches or other chemically based lightening treatments until after you give birth. No peels or lasers, either.

Whats your skin telling you

When our internal body chemistry is normal, so is our skin. When that chemistry changes because of improper diet, improper exercise or stress, toxins form in the body and the skin throws them out as acne, boils, eczema, psoriasis, rashes, or other kinds of eruptions.

Vibrant healthy skin has a youthful glow, good coloring, and a smooth, unblemished look. However, unhealthy skin can look shallow, tired, wrinkled, and older than its actual age. No one wants unhealthy skin, but since so many people fail to understand its causes far too many people are suffering from it.

According to a leading Ayurvedic practitioner, the type of toxic skin manifestations will depend upon each person’s constitution. In general, skin disorders fall into six categories:

Disorders of the sebaceous glands – which include seborrhea, which is a Vata or Pitta imbalance, and blackheads, whiteheads, cystic acne, sebaceous cysts and excessive oiliness, which are Kapha imbalances.

Disorders of the sweat glands include excessive sweat, prickly heat, and red rash, which are Pitta problems; lack of sweat, which is a Vata problem; and abnormal foul-smelling perspiration, which is an imbalance of all three doshas.

Pigmentation problems include blackish discolorations (Vata); brown or reddish discolorations (Pitta); and whitish pigmentation (Kapha).

Skin allergies include psoriasis (Vata), dermatitis (Pitta), and eczema (Vata, Pitta, or Kapha).

Infections (fungal, bacterial, or viral) are due to low immunity (depleted ojas) and occur in all skin types.

Changes in tissue growth, which include dandruff (Vata or Pitta); moles, acne rosacea, and birthmarks (all Pitta imbalances); and cysts and tumors, which are Kapha imbalances.

As you can see, there are numerous explanations for unhealthy skin but the main causes tend to be an unhealthy diet, an ineffectual cleansing routine, and poor lifestyle choices.

Poor Diet
Your skin is a living, breathing organ of the body and it needs proper nourishment and hydration to look and feel its best. When your skin is deprived of the necessary vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that it needs it is unable to functional at optimal levels and the structure slowly begins to break down. This breakdown results in dry skin, blemishes, discoloration, wrinkles, and premature ageing.

In order to avoid this breakdown you need to feed your skin a varied mix of important nutrients each day. Ingesting sufficient amounts of vitamin A, a nutrient that can be found in citrus fruits and orange vegetables, can help you avoid dry skin and blemishes. Eating foods rich in the vitamin B group like brewer’s yeast or breads, or taking a vitamin B group supplement, can help you ward of skin discoloration, dry skin, dermatitis, shallow skin, and premature ageing.

To help discourage wrinkles, pale skin, sun damage, blemishes, and other unhealthy skin symptoms, nutrients like calcium, protein, iodine, niacin, folic acid, iron, and copper are very important to a healthy diet. Get these effective skin helpers by enjoying foods like mild, eggs, cheese, chicken, fish, leafy vegetables, fruits, and grains.

Poor Hygiene
Another common cause of unhealthy skin is poor hygiene. Whether this involves the failure to clean your skin often enough or the use of an ineffective cleansing routine, built-up dirt and grime can lead to blemishes, premature ageing, shallowness, dry skin, and wrinkles.

When your skin is not properly cleaned on a regular basis, dirt, pollution and other harmful substances are allowed to build up on your skin and clog the pores. Clogged pores result in breakouts, dry skin, and the reduction of cell renewal.

To get the most out of your cleansing routine make sure that you wash your skin twice a day, everyday. Also, make sure that you are using an effective cleanser like a soap that is specially formulated for deep cleansing. Make sure that you use gentle pressure when cleaning the skin, do not scrub or pull on the skin since this can result in tiny tears that are susceptible to irritation and infection. Finally, always follow your cleansing routine with a hydrating moisturizer that also contains a sunscreen in order to hydrate your skin and protect it from sun damage.

Bad Lifestyle Habits
Even if you enjoy a healthy diet and pay special attention to your skin care regime you can still be sabotaging the health of your skin by indulging in unhealthy habits. Habits like sun tanning, smoking, choosing fizzy drinks or sodas over water, and wearing heavy makeup can lead to the development of unhealthy skin. Avoid excessive sun exposure, always wear sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15, stop smoking and avoid those who smoke, drink plenty of water, and choose light cosmetics if you want your skin to stay young and healthy looking for years to come.